Mr. Write [COMPLETED]

Chapter 14 - "I'm 56% sure she'll never knife you in a dark alley."

"I believe it's oyster."

"It would be if I liked shellfish, but I don't. So it's ice cream."

Beck gave her a studying look.

"You were isolated in high school?" he asked.

Elliot raised her eyebrows and laughed.

"We had just moved, Cece was my older sister and I wrote my first novel when I was sixteen. You answer that question."

"Cece is to blame?"

"Of course! When is she not?"

A piece of toast hit Elliot in the forehead and Jay handed Tristan a five dollar bill.

"I heard that!" Cece said, over the roar of the table.

"It doesn't make it any less true," Elliot said.

Cece paused, shrugged and turned back to her conversation with Ryan. Milo handed Marilyn a five and they both turned away to talk to their neighbors.

"How come you decided to move?" Beck asked.

Elliot shrugged and picked up the piece of toast, breaking off pieces.

"After the divorce we decided we needed a change. Where we lived, the people we had known, well, it wasn't the same. Everyone owned chickens and we wrote books. We didn't fit in. I still can't fathom why!"

Beck laughed and Elliot grinned.

"So we packed up and moved across the country for a fresh start."

"You don't miss what you left behind?"

"Sometimes."

Elliot's face fell as she looked away, the toast being reduced to crumbs in her hand. Beck was wearing a concentrated look when she met his gaze. She put on a mocking smile and straightened.

"And you knew there were the rumors and we couldn't ever live those down. I mean seriously," she said, "does it look like Cece could be running a drug cartel? My mom paying off politicians? Me murdering someone and Tristan owning a shady night club? Actually, don't answer that last one. And whatever anyone says The Blue Horse burnt down by accident."

Beck gave her a small smile but didn't laugh. Elliot glared at him.

"Stop looking at me like I'm a damaged person or I'll throw this piece of toast at you," she said.

Beck glanced down at her hands.

"What piece of toast?"

Elliot followed his gaze and wiped off her fingers, dusting the plate with crumbs.

"I'm not damaged, just slightly chipped and my left pinky toe is missing so stop," she said.

Beck raised his hands.

"Don't back down, Beck!" Joe called over the noise. "She only talks dangerous. I'm 56% sure she'll never knife you in a dark alley."

Elliot glared as Joe grinned.

"Better be careful around dark alleys Joe!" she said.

"Please, I began avoiding them two days after I met you." 

"Then you are a wiser man than most."

"You're not telling me anything new."

The front door open and a moment later a tall girl, in her early twenties, appeared. Her brown hair was styled in a pixie hair cut and she was wearing a Beatles t-shirt over shorts. There was a confidence about her that said she could care less. The whole room turned towards her.